Turnip

Turnips belong to the same family as swedes. They have been cultivated for centuries. They maybe globular, flattish or cylindrical in shape and generally white in colour with a tinge of red, pink,purple or green. The flesh is usually white. They have a stronger flavour than swedes. Turnips area good source of Vitamin C.

Nutritional Value

A good source of…

Nutrient	Raw	Cooked
Fibre
Vitamin C

For more information on nutrition and the details given above, check out our nutrition page.

Preparing and Using

If possible buy the smallest and youngest turnips available. They should be firm, smooth and unblemished, ideally with fresh green tops.Young turnips should not need peeling; simply trim, then simmer or steam until tender. They can be eaten raw, thinly sliced or grated into salads. Older turnips will need to be peeled and then sliced or diced before cooking. Because turnips are members of the cabbage family,older specimens especially can show signs of an unpleasant cabbage rankness if overcooked. To avoid this, blanch turnips if they are to be served as a vegetable dish, or add sparingly to soups and casseroles so the flavour is dispersed.

Turnips can also be steamed, roasted with other root vegetables or baked au gratin. They can be added to soups, stews and vegetable soups. At Halloween they were traditionally carved into lanterns and a candle was placed inside to ward off evil spirits. In recent years pumpkins have been used instead.

Recipes

For some Turnip recipes, visit the Bord Bia website here

Roasted Vegetables

Tasty, simple and nutritious.

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Clifford’s Gourmet Lamb Stew

This is adapted from a recipe from Cork chef Michael Clifford.

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